Heritage Places
The story of Saint Columbanus dates back to a period between the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 478 and the empire of Charlemagne in 800, who built the first cathedrals across Europe. Although largely unknown to the general public, the memory of Columbanus and his disciples, with Gall being the most famous, has traversed the history of Europe to this day, thanks to his writings, to historians of the Early Middle Ages who unanimously highlight his actions, and to numerous places that still bear their names or traces:
- Mount Leinster, County Carlow, Ireland
- Bangor, Northern Ireland
- Saint Coulomb, Brittany
- Luxeuil-les-Bains, Eastern France
- St.Gallen, Switzerland
- Bregenz, Austria,
- Bobbio, Northern Italy
Mount Leinster, County Carlow
The Leinster region is believed to be where Columbanus was born, around 543, scion of a noble family. The "nine stones" of Mount Leinster, which date back to an ancient or pre-Christian era, are considered by many to be the starting point of the Via Columbani ("Turas Columbanus" in Irish).
The village of Myshall, on the slopes of the mountain, and the town of Carlow actively participate in the development of this heritage and in promoting the route northwards, that follows the River Barrow, tracing the steps of the young Saint.
County Carlow is rural in nature, rich in traditions, and within easy distance to tourist centres such as Kilkenny, Waterford, and Wexford.
Bangor
Columbanus first studied as a monk on Lough Erne, before continuing his journey to the Abbey of Bangor, where he spent 20 years. The town of Bangor, in Ards and North Down, is thus the final destination of Turas Columbanus, the Columban Way, on the island of Ireland.
Traces of the monastery still remain, at the foot of a wooded hill that Columbanus would have been familiar with. In the photo, you can see the abbey church, restored in the 15th, 17th, and 19th centuries. A few hundred meters from the Abbey, the town's museum offers a presentation of monastic life in the 6th and 7th centuries, including a life-size reproduction of the monks' cells. In 590, Columbanus left Bangor by boat with twelve companions for a 'peregrinatio pro Christo' (pilgrimage for Christ) on the European continent.
Bangor is located on a rugged coastline about twenty kilometres from Belfast. The town expanded in the 19th and 20th centuries to become an attractive seaside resort, with wide streets, parks, typical period guesthouses and a marina.
Saint-Coulomb
Columbanus and his disciples landed on the north coast of Brittany around the year 590. The nearby village, which was called ‘Sancti Columbani’ in the 11th century site has protected the memory of this event through a Saint Columbanus ‘Pardon’ ceremony, which is held on Gueslin beach, where a striking monument commemorates the event.
The Via Columbani trail in France begins at the port of Saint-Malo, the arrival point for pilgrims coming by sea. From the village of Saint-Coulomb, the Via Columbani follows the coast to the famous site of Mont Saint-Michel before continuing towards Rouen, in the footsteps of the Saint.
Luxeuil-les-Bains
Saint Columbanus spent more than 20 years in the vicinity of Luxeuil. He founded three monastic communities, which became abbeys, between 590 and 610: Annegray, Luxeuil-les-Bains, and Fontaine.
Luxeuil is located at the foot of the Vosges mountains, in a region of forests, hills, and lakes, now prized for hiking and outdoor activities.
In the town, many buildings highlight the heritage of Columbanus, particularly the Abbey church, dating from the 14th century, and the buildings of the Abbey from the 17th and 18th centuries. Recent excavations in the town centre have uncovered historical remains that date back to the 4th century and that can be seen at the Ecclesia Centre. Since Roman times, the town has been known for its thermal waters, which contributed to the development of the historic town in the 19th century.
Saint-Gall
The city of Saint-Gallen, the capital of the canton, is named after the closest companion of Columbanus. Gall had established close relationships with the communities around the lake, and chose to stay there rather than follow his master across the Alps to Italy.
Around the year 610, he withdrew to the hills and forests above the lake to live as a hermit, on the banks of the Steinhard mountain stream. The Abbey and the city were founded around 720, near the site of his hermitage.
Saint-Gallen boasts numerous historic buildings. In 1983, the Abbey site, with its large church, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Bregenz
The city of Bregenz is located in Austria, on Lake Constance, between 20 and 30 kilometres from the lakeside towns of Arbon and Rorschach, other symbolic sites of the heritage of Saints Columbanus and Gall.
Bregenz is the easternmost point of the Via Columbani, which then heads south towards Liechtenstein before crossing the Alps. Columbanus and his followers lived in Bregenz for two years, founding an abbey around the year 611.
Their memory is still alive there, with a modern church dedicated to Saint Columbanus and the recently renovated Saint Gall church. The city of Bregenz is rich in history, with a thriving cultural life, including an annual opera festival that enjoys a worldwide reputation. Close to the lake and the mountains, it also offers a wide range of outdoor activities.
Bobbio
The small town of Bobbio, with its winding streets and open spaces, is located in the Trebbia Valley, which rises towards the heart of the Apennines. Saint Columbanus established his last monastery there in 612, which became a centre of study and learning, exerting a great influence across Northern Italy for many centuries after his death.
A statue of Columbanus at the entrance of the town welcomes pilgrims who will find many other traces of the saint, including the Abbey and Basilica, with the crypt that houses his remains. The marble sarcophagus was sculpted by Giovanni de Patriarchi in 1480. Other attractions include the Old Bridge or "Hunchback Bridge," which is the subject of many legends linked to Columbanus; the Malaspina Castle from the 14th century; and the Abbey Museum located in a wing of the old monastery cloister.
An hour's walk along a muddy path in the hills near the village of Coli leads to the San Michele Cave where, according to tradition, Columbanus is said to have breathed his last in the year 615.